Pride and Prejudice
by strawb3rry.angel
Summary: Haruhi is an heiress in disguise, trying to find a suitable husband after her promise with her grandmother. Kyouya is on a mission to marry the only heir of the Fujiokas. What happens when chemistry develops with the two? And jealousy? Pride?
1. Chapter 1: The Promise

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

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Kyouya Ootori never had any romantic feelings in his life, nor had he ever held any emotions. As an Ootori, he was raised in a strict household where being the best in his school wouldn't please his father. Being the third son was difficult in many ways – there was the inferiority he had, as a potential candidate to be a successor of the Ootori family. Yet, he conquered every one of his family members, overachieved what both his brothers did, and bought over the Ootori company with the name K.O. To all business leaders, he was someone to be feared. At the age of 18, he successfully took over a multibillion dollar company– not something a normal eighteen year old man would do. He was sharp in every way possible and intelligent. A genius, many people praised. He was twenty, successful, rich, handsome, and everything a girl had hoped for. Girls swooned at the sight of him, but he only frowned upon them. _A waste of time_, he thought. _The minutes you spend swooning over someone could be used in spending more time at your job and earning money._

He was named top bachelor of the year by several business magazines and was part of the Elite Seven – his role in the group was the Shadow King, for he managed all the funds and scheduled the events. The Elite Seven was a group formed by the seven richest families in Japan: together, they basically created the Japanese economy. Currently, there were only six of them – the seventh member of this group had not been revealed yet: Tamaki Suoh, a half-French half-Japanese medieval-like romanticist who is the superintendent of Ouran High School also known as "the idiot" to Kyouya for his inability to think properly on his own and for making idiotic decisions like going to commoner festivals. Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, sons of the Hitachiin family line (a very well-known brand between wealthy families), also known as the devils for their mischievous behavior. Even with their bad behavior, they were extremely famous among girls and were known as playboys. Mitsukuni Haninozuka (known as Honey), leader of the Haninozuka dojos, a devil in disguise for his ability in martial arts. Honey's outside image in an innocent lolita-shoto with a love for cake. Last but not least Takashi Morinozuka known for his stoic personality. A calm almost emotionless guy who is always protecting Mitsukini. Of course, all of them were probably the hottest bachelors in the country with hundreds of fanclubs dedicated to them.

Kyouya could care less about the fans. To Kyouya,there was nothing better in life to do than to work. That was the Ootori policy. Your entire life revolved around earning money – there was no time for romantic feelings, but then again, there was that pothead, Tamaki who charms any girl in sight with sweet words and a red rose. Speaking of the devil, he saw the blondie run towards him.

"Kyouyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, let's go to the commoner supermarket." Tamaki skipped down the hall and gave his best friend a hug. Kyouya glared from the corner of his eye. What did the idiot think he was doing? Hugging him in the middle of his company in front of almost all the staff? He quickly pushed him off and continued to walk, yet the bloody devil clung onto him like some parasite. It was embarrassing to see that the 20-year-old Tamaki still didn't grow up. He wanted to sigh. Then again, the Suoh families were very important business partners. Kyouya bit his lips and walked on, ignoring all the glances from the employees.

"There's a meeting 8:00 tonight at La Hibiscus. Don't be late. All of us will be there, including the Fujiokas." Tamaki informed, before giving Kyouya another hug and skipping off. Kyouya frowned. It was rare for all the Elite Seven to be there, something important must be up, especially if the Fujiokas are coming to the meeting. The Fujiokas were the ones who supported the club – they specialized in hotels, law firms, and schools. They were probably the wealthiest out of the group, but they didn't have a successor, more like... their successor has never shown up to any of the meetings. Kyouya pondered for a second, before walking towards his secretary.

"Can you reschedule the meeting with my father tonight? Something important came up and I have to attend." Kyouya tried to say nicely to the poor secretary who was nodding furiously. His tone made his comment sound like, 'If you don't change my schedule now, you'll be fired immediately. I don't need an incompetent secretary who can't even deal with the wrath of my father.' He walked off to his next meeting, before drowning himself with the latest news on the stock market. The Hitachiin twins called in asking him to model for some of their clothes. Honey came in and asked for his newly made batch of cakes ordered from France. And he had managed to finish the presentation he was going to make at Harvard University next week all within 4 hours. Overall, it was a very productive afternoon and soon he was driving to his house again.

"My apologies to my father. Could you please inform him that I will be attending an Elite Seven meeting at La Hibiscus, so he won't think that I'm skipping, of course." Kyouya told his bodyguard, who nodded. Then, Kyouya immersed himself in his laptop, scanning through the latest headlines. For, these silly news topics were good conversation starters. And more conversations with the rich meant more business for the Ootori family.

"Car accident causes three heads to blast off" Kyouya read quietly to himself before frowning. Apparently, these drunk potheads were driving with a high level of alcohol in their blood. Although it did bring more money to his hospital, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity towards them. The image of heads rolling off the streets with screaming children was never a good sight. Then again, it was their own fault for getting drunk, being high, and being in a blasted car accident. He sighed. The world was never an easy place to live in – you had to be careful or else you could die in a fatal accident. Most injuries could be fixed with modern technologies, but if vital parts decide to disconnect with your body, then you should be looking towards death.

"Master Ootori." Tabachana announced, holding the door out to him. Kyouya was so intangled into his own thoughts that he failed to notice that he had arrived. He quickly locked his computer with a bunch of terrifying long codes that were far beyond the knowledge of an normal person, but then again... Ootoris were never normal. They all had high IQ s of 200 – brilliant, but scary. The public thought of the Ootoris as mutilated babies: they MUST have went through some kind of brain transplant or maybe some radiation to have such a terrifying IQ. It wasn't just Kyouya who was a genius, but his entire family.

"Pick me up at 9:30." Kyouya said, before walking elegantly into the resturant. The moment he walked in, the girls went crazy. High pitched screams that were probably designed to break people's eardrums were heard. Even the waitress who was suppose to escort him to the room was foaming bubbles in her mouth. Yes, Kyouya Ootori was THAT handsome. A thud was heard when he gave one of the girls his host smile. He assumed that she fainted, before smirking again.

"KYOUUU-CHANNNN." Honey jumped towards Kyouya.

"Hello Mitsukuni," Kyouya greeted before taking a seat.

"Just like Kyouya, always on time." Hikaru pointed out, before rolling his eyes. "WE came early."

"I had a last minute meeting before I left. I, unlike you two, do not have the luxury of going to work and coming back as I please," Kyouya shot back. Hikaru pouted before sitting down.

"Now that we're all here, the Fujiokas have a very important announcement to make." Tamaki said, putting on his serious face. It was very rare to see Tamaki so calm. Kyouya took his seat near the corner and focused his attention on the old yet intimidating lady standing in the middle of the room. She was dressed in elegant Gucci clothes. Her face was gentle, but also stern.

"As you all know, I don't have an heir to my company. However, during these past years, I've been able to find the location of my granddaughter," she started. The entire room was silent. "As well, you guys have been informed of my cancer and the limit of my life." Another dead pause echoed the room. "Before my death, not only will I announce her as my heir, but also allow her to marry one of you."

"Could you first give us the name of your granddaughter?" Kyouya asked, irritated. How were any of them able to pursue her if they didn't know her identity first?

"I will not reveal her identity. It is her decision to choose, but I am certain that you will meet her at least once before she chooses one of you to be her prince charming," Fujioka grinned, before walking off.

Kyouya tried to process the information given to him. So first, that old lady wanted him to pursue any girl he meets in hopes that he charms her granddaughter?! Absolute bullshit. What if he charmed the wrong girl? That would bring a whole heck of trouble. Kyouya sighed, he might as well just let Tamaki win this one, even if the Fujiokas would've made a great deal to his family business. Actually, he was more afraid that the girl might be one of his crazy fangirls. He didn't want a squealing dumb wife – he wanted someone intelligent, yet worthy (high-classed) to be his wife, but those girls were rare these days. Actually, if he didn't know any better, there probably wasn't any. All the high-classed heiresses only cared about what kind of clothes they wore or what kind of skin product they used.

"Are you guys going to try and pursue her?" Tamaki asked, turning back to his pothead behavior again. It was only the six of them, so formalities weren't used.

"My lady, you shine beautifully like the brightest star in the sky." Tamaki said, holding out a rose to the waitress. She fainted.

"You're even beautiful when you lie on the ground, just like sleeping beauty." Tamaki sang. Kyouya was sure that the girl needed a defibrillator to revive her heart again.

"Tono, I think you're killing her." The twins said, dragging her corpse out. Kyouya secretly texted his bodyguards to bring the girl to the hospital – she could pay for her own medical bills later.

"It depends." Kyouya said, before sighing again. It wasn't an easy decision. He made a mental list of pros and cons. The pro section included getting a wife, which his father has been nagging him to do since he turned 18 and combining the Ootori family and the Fujiokas together. The con section included risking the fact that he might get an idiotic wife who only cared about images and didn't have a brain. So, he compromised with himself – only allowing himself to charm a girl with brains. A brainless girl could lick his shoes for all he cares. Yes, it was cruel, but this is the Ootoris we're talking about.

"What if she turns out to be really fat and ugly?" Hikaru asked.

"I don't look at the physical image." Kyouya said in a monotone. He might have to get some of his private detectors to look up who this Fujioka was.

"If she hates cake, then I don't think I'll like her." Honey said, frowning slightly. How could anyone ever hate cake?!

Little did they know, that their discussion was monitored by the one and only heir of the Fujiokas. Fujioka Haruhi. She was small, only 18 years old, but had a brilliant mind. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in law when she was only 16 and she was a prodigy in piano. Of course, no one knew that she was a Fujioka. She preferred to call herself Haruhi Oguri (taken after her cross-gender father, Ranka Oguri). Most people were terrified of her. Her ability to turn a murderer into an innocent normal person stunned most people. She was one of the most brilliant lawyers in the US. She has a flawless record, never lost a case in her two-year career. Her job payed high, so she was able to supply herself and her father with what they needed. Her mother died when she was very young after being disinherited from her mother (who is the old Fujioka we mentioned above) for marrying a man who was an average commoner, yet Haruhi still loved her family even if they disowned her mother.

Haruhi was amazed when her grandmother, whom her mother told stories about when she was little, showed up on her doorsteps three months ago. It was impossible to find her. She destroyed her own records, created her own death, and changed everything about herself. Yet they still found her. She suspected that the Fujiokas did DNA tests on possibly everyone in the world to find her. Haruhi hidden her identity so well that not even the top spies could find her. All of them confirmed her dead, yet why didn't her grandma believe it? Haruhi was absolutely sure that the secret of her being a high-classed heiress was a secret. She didn't want to live the life of the rich. She didn't want to be cooped up in a building earning money and then spending it recklessly. Haruhi wanted to live the life that regular people lived, yet she still agreed to become the heir? If it wasn't for her grandma's pity story about how she has leukemia and will die in less than 6 months, she wouldn't have gotten stuck in this circle.

She cursed herself for being too nice to others and for not being able to deny her grandmother's favor. Now, she was stuck in this room with a TV in a Chanel dress probably worth more than her salary and choosing which one of these boys will she meet first. Truthfully, she didn't like any of them, but if it made her grandmother happy, she would go and meet them without revealing who she was. It was nice to see the inner core of a person before choosing them as her partner for life.

"Which one do you like?" Her grandma asked eagerly.

"None of them. They're all idiotics. None of their IQ scores could match mine." Haruhi shot back at her grandmother, who sighed. Her granddaughter was always blunt.

"What about Kyouya?" She asked.

"He's quiet. Interesting in a way. Mysterious, makes me want to find out more about him. But from the way he acts, he seems like an idiot. Not exactly an idiot, but he's too quiet. Cold. He has a rude tone, like he looks down on any one below him.."Haruhi replied looking away. She wasn't one of those average girls who drooled over these hot guys. She wasn't interested in love. She was only interested in winning law cases, becoming the most famous lawyer in the world, and succeeding her mother's dream.

"Even though his IQ level can't match up to yours, it does beat a majority of the population. Then again, no one can match up your IQ which is higher than the IQ charts. What about Tamaki?"

"The blond French idiot?"

"Yes, and don't call him an idiot. They're valuable partners."

"I don't like him. A player. A non-intelligent one who thinks he could get his own way through sweet words. Oh yes, I'd love to marry him."

"Your sarcasm always gets in the way."

"I appreciate that comment, just because they're physically attractive doesn't mean they'll get any girl they want. They'll never win my heart."

"You never know, you might falling in love with one of them."

"Over my dead body."

"What about the twins?"

"Assholes. They are fucking assholes. Physical appearances aren't everything. They're second to last on my list."

"Mori?"

"Maybe. He's too manly though, plus Honey always clings onto him."

"I'm assuming you don't like Honey?"

"I do, but I wouldn't marry him. He's too innocent for my liking. Also, if I did date him, I would seem like a pedophile. He'd be a good close friend though."

"I'm sure you'll like one of them."

"I rather marry Satan than one of them."

"Oh? Shall I retrieve Satan for you? Anything for my only heir."

"Only if you can."

"Kyouya would be perfect for you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Kyouya is the closest thing to Satan, known as the Shadow King."

"I thought he was known as the Low Pressure Demon Lord."

"Oh. oh. oh. So you've done your research on these boys."

"I should get to know them a little bit better before I go husband searching."

"I like the tone of your voice."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to marry them."

"You promised me."

"If there isn't a legal contract, then it wouldn't be official."

"I could always give you an arranged marriage. I do have parental control over you."

"Arranged marriages are illegal in the US. You will be fined up to five million dollars, if the victim decides to arrange a lawsuit against you."

"We're in Japan."

"If you forgotten, I'm still a US citizen."

"Your US passport will be denied if you don't go to the US every six months."

"I have a case there every month."

"Feisty, aren't you?"

"I'm going to put up a fight for my own rights. I'm not going to marry one of those idiotic potheads."

"Which one do you want to start with?"

"None of them. I'm leaving. This is wasting valuable time which I could spend on working on cases." Haruhi said. She was at her limit. This old lady was more annoying than she thought.

"Guards?" Her grandmother called. Haruhi cursed under her breath.

"I'll start with Kyouya." She muttered before stomping off. She changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt before walking out. Everyone who was in the restaurant gave her a disapproving stare. This IS a high-classed restaurant. How can a measly girl like her walk in here in the most disgusting clothes? Yet, none of the guards lunged at her even though she was wearing those clothes. Many of the people assumed that she was a new waitress, not noticing that in her bag was a custom-made Chanel dress.

Her grandmother sighed, before shaking her head. Once a commoner, always a commoner. She continued to watch the boys argue, before chuckling to herself. This was going to a hell of an interesting year. Yet, she was sure that none of the boys will be able resist Haruhi. Let the game begin.


	2. Chapter 2: Their First Meeting

Chapter 2: Their First Meeting

I'm dedicating this chapter to my friend Rosa. XD. If she didn't encourage me, I would probably be watching dramas right now rather than updating this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School (I wish I didd! :D... but then again, I would've made Kyouya mine and a million of his fangirls would probably be clawing at my head). I forgot this in the first chapter, I apologize.

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And off we go, on the Pride and Prejudice journey.

Haruhi was in the midst of a lovely dream. She dreamt of winning the best lawyer award. Was there even an award like that in this world? In Haruhi's world, there was. She was standing in front of the most important people in the world like prime ministers of countries like France and England, and presidents. She held her head up in pride as she received the award. Cameras flashed as she just landed herself on the headlines of New York Times. Her fame was bound to be spread and her chain of law firms would have lots of business.

"Congratulations. You worked hard." A mysterious deep voice behind her said. Somehow, it sent chills through her spine. The voice was cold, yet velvety and soothing. It strangely made her feeling comforting. She looked around, smiling, except stood there with cold sweat pouring out of her back. Her jaw dropped to the floor as her eyes bulged out. Why in the HELL was Kyouya Ootori doing in her dream?! NO! She tried to push the man out.

Her dream dissolved and was replaced by a scene from The Sound of Music. She was skipping along the daffodils with ten kids circling around her and singing which happened to be Amazing Grace. She screamed to the world. All of the world was hers. Then, an irritating knock was heard. Haruhi frowned in her dream. How DARE they interrupt her celebration?! She screamed at them to shut up, but the knocking continued until she was shook awake.

Now, you could probably imagine her face right now. Bright red – in a midst of anger. If looks could kill, hers would. She was angry that the dream wasn't true. She was angry at that very darn person who showed up on her doorsteps at 6 in the morning. She was angry at the world for waking her up in what she thought as the best sleep she's received almost her entire life. She was angry that Kyouya Ootori appeared in her almost perfect dream. Life was unfair. It was a Saturday and she deserved to sleep in late, especially from all the stress she received this week. She went to bed at midnight because she kept tossing and turning, having nightmares about marrying Takumi, a suitor at her law firm who wouldn't stop pursuing her. Not even her softest pillow allowed her some sleep – she was frustrated. Very frustrated. Life didn't go her way after she met her grandmother. Not that she didn't like her... It's probably because their lifestyles were so different that she wasn't sure whether she'd be able to stay in the society of the rich. She was like a butterfly. She wanted to be free. She wanted to earn her own money. Marry someone who she will love all her life.

She stumbled out of her warm toasty bed only to be hit with the icy air. She shivered before trudging to her closet where she put on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a light yellow babydoll top which emphasized her non-existing cleavage. Her father always complained that she wasn't girly enough. Since it was a Sunday and it was early, she allowed herself to touch on a bit of makeup before deciding to greet her guest.

"Hello." She said, calmly, popping her head out of the door. She was good at hiding her true faces. Except, the grin on her face turned upside down when she realized that all she saw was dark bulky men wearing black suits. 'Oh no,' was her first thought before she slammed the door shut and then raced to the back of her apartment, hoping to escape by the other door. But it was too late... the intruder already broke into her house.

"My new neighbor!" Haruhi heard a very high-pitched annoying voice, which in her opinion should be banned in this world, say to her. The owner of this voice should be suggested to get a voice transplant. It was definitely going to cause damages to the human ear. Did things like that even exist these days? She turned around and then saw the wrinkly old lady behind her. Haruhi sucked in her breath and crossed her fingers before gripping onto the side of her door. Is this another dream? Well, it damn better be. She didn't like the thought of her grandmother living near her than marrying one of the idiotic rich bastards in the Elite Seven.

"I'll be living here from today on! I bought all the other units in this building, for bodyguards and everyone else. I'm so excited!" She squealed like a five year old girl receiving her first barbie doll. Once again, Haruhi winced. Maybe it was time for her to start receiving yearly ear checks – to see whether she'll need a hearing aid. She'll glad bill her grandmother for the medical fees.

"Damn rich bitch." Haruhi cursed. It looks like the nightmare came true. Her grandmother was going to be her new neighbor. All hell broke loose. This was not her lucky year.

* * *

"Interesting," Kyouya said, staring at his cellphone for a moment as if waiting for a call from the President of the United States. He tried to connect the pieces together. Somehow, the granddaughter had to do with the old Fujioka moving there or at least he thought so.

"Why did she suddenly move there?"He asked again.

"Mrs. Fujioka said that she wanted to live the lifestyle her daughter has lived." The man in black said.

"Any neighbors?"

"One."

"Name?"

"Haruhi Oguri."

"Miss Oguri? The crime defense lawyer who has a flawless reputation? Mind you, most men in my company talk about her non-stop – I would fire them, but they DO do quality work."

"I believe so."

"Anything else?"

"She bought the entire building and forced all the tenants besides Ms. Oguri to move out."

"You fail to mention this to me, why?"

"Mrs. Fujioka needed a women to legally defense her. Although Miss Oguri specializes in crime defense, she can do any type of legal document."

"Investigate this Haruhi Oguri for me."

"Yes sir."

"Also, find out the date of Mrs. Fujioka's granddaughter's birth date."

"Yes sir."

"You are dismissed."

"Yes sir."

"There must be some ulterior motive. Why a sudden change in mind?" The Fujiokas never did anything without reason – there must be something important there. Something that the Fujiokas want.

"To be a commoner isn't a bad thing," Fuyumi said, appearing at the doorway. "It's interesting at times and it can give you the meaning of life. You can finally see things from the eyes of average people. You've only look down on people, Kyouya. You've never explored the wonders of the human world, which is why I think you're over thinking the reason, Kyouya. Also, it's safer with one of the best lawyers in Japan near her to help her do legal work."

"I'm pretty sure that woman has a trap somewhere. I just need to locate it and avoid it. And then somehow receive the prize."

"You're over thinking again. Life isn't like business. Falling in love isn't like calculating E equals MC squared."

"I thought you said that I was perfect at everything and that I knew everything I was suppose to."

"Well, that was before I realized that my little brother was so dull at life."

"Excuse me?"

"You're dull at life. All you do is immerse yourself in medical books. Although you're a genius, you're missing common sense."

"I have common sense, thank you."

"The limit of your common sense is making a cup of coffee, and that's through directions in a measly little book as well."

"Books are useful."

"They're written for people who fail at life."

"Are you indirectly criticizing me for being good at everything?"

"No, I'm criticizing you for knowing nothing about life."

"That's cold."

"You've said colder things to me."

"That's because you were an idiot." Kyouya said, before giving his sister the cold shoulder. Fuyumi scoffed at her own brother before walking away.

"You'll always be kept in the boundaries of the rich unless you decide to try something new. Try and become a commoner for once. It might do you some good," she called out before giving a final wave. "My second son is sick with the flu. I must return home. My apologies for allowing our argument to continue any further."

"Make him some ginger egg tea. I heard that it's the commoner way of curing colds," Kyouya said back before turning his chair around, chuckling. His sister kept an interesting thought. Worth doing some investigating in his free time. He went back to work, but something caught his eye again. It was the portfolio Mrs. Fujioka submitted the other day – telling him that the lawyer she was going to send to the meeting was THE Haruhi Oguri. Suspicion filled his head again. Wasn't Miss Oguri's major crime and defense? Having her release these papers would be ridiculous, yet that old lady still chose her. Yes, this was getting more and more interesting by the moment.

* * *

Haruhi was up and about when her grandmother finished packing. Actually, the ridiculously loud classical music player from the room next door had kept her from falling asleep. She wanted to scream. The dark circles under her eyes didn't get any better. Haruhi ended up on the couch with a cup of coffee and her stack of cases next to her.

"Would you TURN OFF THE MUSIC?! I WANT TO FINISH MY NEXT CASE BY TONIGHT." She finally screamed through her balcony so loudly that she thought her lungs were going to collapse. Music so early wasn't her thing. She liked the peace and quiet she received on Saturday mornings. She liked being able to sleep in late. Everything that happened this morning nearly made the vein on her head pop – that wouldn't be good, because then she might have the risk of developing an internal blood clog in her brain which would lead to major brain damage.

The old lady popped her head out of the door, smiling. Haruhi glared a little.

"Am I disturbing you?" Her grandma asked. Haruhi wanted to scoff. A LITTLE?! A LITTLE?! Is she kidding? Does this lady not have an itsy bit of common sense in her?

"YES, YOU ARE. Since you have so much money, why don't you spend it on something USEFUL, like a pair of headphones. This isn't a mansion. These walls aren't soundproof." Haruhi tried to say as calmly as she could.

"Headphones deteriorate your hearing." She said, as Haruhi screamed out a sigh of frustration. Things were definitely not going her way this week. Haruhi bit her tongue, before returning to the house.

"Oh, Mr. Ootori asked me for a lawyer from one of my firms to help him legalize one of his new medicines. I decided that I would send you to the job. And you guys can spend time together too! Aren't I a genius?" Haruhi looks like death took over her body. She froze, before mentally fainting in aggravation. The words Ootori, job, together... sent her world to a screeching halt. N-n-n-n-no. There must be some way out of this.

"Why me?"

"You're the best lawyer out of all of my firms."

"Ask Takumi, he specializes in these things. He's a patent lawyer. I'm a crime defense lawyer."

"Yes, but I submitted the request already. And I did it personally too."

"You're doing this to spite me, aren't you?" Haruhi asked furiously.

"No, I'm just being the innocent grandma who wants the best for her granddaughter. Oh, you should be getting ready. You have a meeting with Mr. Ootori at 10:00 at his office. He hates late people." Her grandma announced between going into her house. Haruhi screamed and bit a pillow. The feathers exploded in her room, making her room look like a chicken coop. Her perfect Saturday was going to turn into hell and somehow, she knew she had an ominous feeling about it.

Haruhi did what she regularly did. She splashed her face with water ensuring that she was one hundred percent awake, though the dark spots under her eyes were inevitable.

"It's okay, Haruhi. Just pretend that nothing she does bothers you. Pretend that it's just an irritating ghost trying to get on your nerves." She told herself, staring at the mirror. No one must find out that there were people who got under her skin. Actually, there were a lot of people who annoyed her, and on the top of her list was the rich bastards. Being in the same room with them caused goosebumps. Not that she was afraid of them. She just disliked them to the extent that she shook. She never realized what were the positive side of being rich. True they had money, but they lacked basic common sense. They found the simplest things like making coffee or boiling water fascinating. They believe that it was magical to boil water. It wasn't as though they didn't have the basic education. They did, they just didn't know how to apply it to everyday life. Also, she heard from her deceased mother that living the life of the rich was tiring – especially being constantly controlled like a puppet. She shuddered at the thought of having someone decide what she did FOR her. Especially since the rich women ended up as housewives.

Haruhi sighed and then blasted up the music on her iTouch. She relaxed her muscles and then did her regular exercises. Her favorite song was Daisy by Alex from Clazziquai. It calmed her. She attached speakers to it, making it louder. It drone out her grandmother's music.

Haruhi never liked dressing up, yet her closet was huge due to the fact that her father went shopping for her nearly every week, bringing her the latest fashions, so she was never behind in stylish clothes. She just never like wearing them. Layers and layers of dust accumulated. It was a waste of money, but Ranka's favorite hobby was to go shopping for his daughter, so she just let it go. It wasn't a negative thing. One, she'd save valuable time which she spent writing up and solving cases. And two, the clothes he picked were appropriate for her to wear to work. At least, the formal ones. The dresses? Well, those were a different story. The dresses were very femme fetale. It revealed a bit more than it was suppose to and always made Haruhi feel like a Barbie doll. A Barbie doll that was unable to sit or walk because the dress was going to ride up her thighs. Instead of wearing them to work, she wore them sometimes at home when Ranka wasn't around. The last time she wore her expensive (and short) Chanel dress at home while cooking, her father lectured her for nearly an hour. So hence, these dresses stayed in her closet. They WERE impossible to wear to public anyways. Who in the right mind would EVER wear a dress that only covered half your butt? She knew she didn't have a model figure, and neither did she want to. It kept most of the guys away. Or so she thought...

Back to her. She chose a midnight blue silk blouse – her father bought it for her on his trip to China. The silk belt in the middle made it elegantly looking and showed off her well defined waist. The ruffles on the collar were long enough for her to pretend that she had breasts. It looked as though it was made for her. Along with it, she chose a pair of black pants (she had nearly twenty pairs of black pants all from different designers, but all nice looking) and her favorite black pair of heels. And of course, her regular silver bag her father bought from Paris for her. Or it might have been a Hitachiin design ordered from Paris? She wasn't the type of person to keep tabs on where each other her clothes are from. True, there were labels, but she was lazy to look.

Haruhi pondered a moment before putting her hair up in a bun. It made her look older and more sophisticated. She sighed, looking at the clock. It read 9:02. According to the map on google, it would only take her 15 minutes to get there, meaning she still has plenty of time. Being the busy person, she pulled out a manila folder with her latest case and started working on it, casually glancing at the clock at times to see whether it was time to leave yet. A few minutes before 9:30, she received a call from her grandmother.

"Are you ready yet? I prepared some gifts for you to bring along with you for the Ootoris, I put with Shun, your bodygaurd who will escort you." Haruhi's eyes bulged out more.

"Wouldn't that be the obvious? If they weren't idiots, won't they realize that I'm the granddaughter? The entire point of this is for me to stay in secretcy right?" She said into the phone.

"Oh?" Was all her grandmother replied.

"I'm in a hurry, so I need to leave soon. Send Shun later tonight, just not with me." Haruhi grabbed her purse and walked out. As she was getting into her car (And of course, it was a very stylish one – a 2010 black BMW convertible that shouldn't have been on market until that year, but her father somehow got it.... 3 years before it was released. She contemplated the fact that her father probably used her name to scare the poor car dealer off into making one for his daughter, but her father wanted her to go to work in style, so you can assume what happened. Yes, it was an expensive one too, but she did not complain considering that she was able to drive pretty fast with this thing.), she noticed something extremely suspicious. Why was there a black Mercedes Guardian parked outside her apartment?! With sketchy people in sunglasses glaring out? Yes, it was extremely sketchy, especially in broad daylight.

She sighed, before getting into her car, only to notice that the black Mercedes was following her. She turned, taking the longer route to the Ootori building which was more complicated with more turns only to notice that it really was stalking her. Maybe it was time to call a certain someone.

"What's this?!" She screamed into her phone with her grandmother picked up.

"What honey?"

"WHY ARE YOU SENDING BODYGUARDS AFTER ME?!" She screamed as the drivers on other cars looked at her as though she was crazy. They looked away when they realized that a) this was Haruhi Oguri, b) she was in a really bad mood, and c) she was glaring out at them.

"I'm not." Her grandmother replied on the other phone, before hanging up. Something really suspicious. Could it be...?

'Definitely.' Her grandmother thought and smirked. 'This is definitely the work of an Ootori. Looks like someone is suspicious.'

Haruhi was frustrated. No one likes the feeling of a group of people following her, but she was on a tight schedule – with only ten more minutes with over 20 miles to drive. She stepped on the gas and smirked. If they weren't going to stop following, she wasn't going to let herself be a victim of being followed. She quickly got onto the highway before speeding down ninety miles an hour. Screw the police. If they're going to file a lawsuit against her, they could. She'll just file one back. She looked at the mirrors of her car, before smirking. Either that sketchy car was stuck in traffic or she completely lost them. Haruhi threw her head back and laughed as she pulled into the luxurious parking lots of the Ootori building. Though the sight of the expensive parking lot made her frown, she was in a good mood.

"Are you looking for anyone?" The receptionist asked as she walked up to the desk. She couldn't help but notice the stares people gave her. And she swore, a man dropped his cup.

"Well, yes. I am. Kyouya Ootori." She asked.

"Do you have an appointment?" The annoying receptionist asked again. Haruhi didn't like the tone of her voice. Did that girl think that she was one of his sluts or something? Haruhi shuddered at the thoughts. Being an Ootori toy made the hair in her scalp stand up. She did NOT like how that sounded.

"Yes. My name is Haruhi Oguri. Mr. Ootori is expecting me there at 10:00 sharp." The receptionist widened at the name.

"Yes ma'am. Go up to level 49. He should be waiting in the conference room. His office is the third door on your right. Knock before you enter." She squeaked as Haruhi nodded. She gave the receptionist a weird stare before walking off. What was with the Ootoris? Especially with hiring bipolar people. Maybe that woman was on drugs – Haruhi contemplated on several possibilities before deciding that she was indeed on crack. That would explain her mood swings.

She nearly rolled her eyes when two men in black suits followed her up the elevator. Was this ultimate protection or something? She didn't have a gun or a knife. Or anything dangerous. The only metal in her bag would probably be her cellphone. Also, who would be stupid enough to stab an Ootori? If a person did that, they could expect joining the Ootori in hell. She walked through the halls of the building, admiring the glass huge glass windows which gave view to the city.

"Ms. Oguri," the bodyguard opened the door for her. She nodded and then said a quick thank you, before the door closed. She looked into the room. It wasn't your average friendly office with cute pictures and colors filling the walls. There was an extremely long hall way which led to a desk. Even the desk was almost cleared except for a laptop. And sitting at the desk, was the youngest Ootori.

Haruhi looked at his solemn face for a second before internally making a face. He was so serious. Then again, this was the first time she has met her possibly-future-husband in person. His image didn't fit his desk. He looked like one of those models you would see walking down a runway. Not, an old CEO sitting at his desk. Haruhi stared at his face for a minute. The glasses reflected a bit and made him look sinister – his features were nice though.

"Miss Oguri. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure we both know each other, so no need for introductions." Kyouya said, startling Haruhi. She took a millisecond to grasp her last opinion about him before letting his words digest through her brain.

"Hello." She said, smiling before taking his hand. It processed through her brain that Kyouya Ootori had a velvety seducing voice. One that made her hair stood up, yet coated honey around her heart. She warned herself not to get too close to him.

Kyouya took a moment to look at her, making a mental note of things he should notice. She was petite and short. Probably a feet shorter than him. Possibly 5'2? Her face was sharp and beautiful. So it wasn't a lie that this lawyer was a beauty, he could understand why men fainted at the sight of her. Though he had to admit, she looked more like a high-school singer on Disney channel than a working lawyer. He stared into her large chocolate eyes, for a second he was pulled in. It bothered him that she was able to seduce him in less than a minute. Her voice was high, very suited to her image, though it wasn't as soft as he imagined it. He considered the fact that she was a genius, a genius with an IQ higher than her looks. Her clothes were suitable, stylish. Her face didn't look like it was powdered with layers of makeup. Actually, she was barely wearing any makeup at all. If Kyouya Ootori had to rate her out of all the girls he has met in his life, this girl would take first.

If this is the Fujiokas' next heir, his next plan would be to seduce her.

-------------

Oh yea, the last chapter probably had a lot of typos – I'M SORRY! I was on the computer writing this at 2:00 in the morning with a 103.3 degree fever, because I couldn't get the idea out of my mind. And yes, you people can expect a lot of chapters from me because I'm currently at home with the pig sniffles (aka the SWINE FLU). Don't worry, I don't think (or I hope not) that contagious illnesses could spread through the internet. X3. Actually, I'm more worried about being stuck in a pile of cow hair (homework) than of Swine Flu killing me. AHHHH... I'm going to be so behind.

Anyways, I was planning on editing the chapter, except... HOW IN THE WORLD DO I EDIT THESE CHAPTERS?!?!?! (I'm still new to fanfiction, so I don't really know how to use it... Well, I guess you can't say I'm new to it. I'm a sorta new author, but not really.) Also, T.T... I'm starting to wane from this story. Am I getting boring? WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Thanks for the reviews! I love you guys.... Feel free to tell me whether you like or not. If you hate it, then say so. All opinions are welcomed. :)

stefanie-k : I used the word "pothead" because it inferred to how they looked like. Haruhi (in this story) has a sharp- tongue, but is still extremely blunt in whatever she says. Sorta – I'm not sure how to explain it. Though I have to admit, I used it in places where it wasn't required.


	3. Chapter 3: The Elite Seven

Chapter 3: The Elite Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School.

* * *

"Would it be appropriate to ask you to lunch?" Kyouya asked out, taking Haruhi by entirely surprise. Haruhi was in the midst putting the files back into her bag and finding a way to escape her evil... neighbor when Kyouya popped the question. She was going to deny, but then again, lunch with the youngest Ootori wouldn't be bad – her grandmother would be ecstatic if she told her. Though having lunch alone THE Kyouya Ootori probably meant that she'll be on the front page of some gossip magazine, blowing their lunch date entirely out of proportion. Rumors will be sizzling around about how she's dating him and he took her to some fancy rich restaurant for their first romantic date. There'll be non-stop questioning at the office about her, and girls from around the globe will hate her from stealing their Shadow King. Of course, everything leads to one word. Chaos. But, it's worth the risk if she could possibly save her ear drums from being shatter. Also, perhaps a delicious serving of Ootoro?

"Lunch would be lovely." She replied, giving out one of her natural 'host' smiles. She was thankful for the etiquette classes her mom sent her to when she was a younger kid, though she had to admit – the smile was sincere. Kyouya's eyes lit up under his glasses like a kid who just received his first toy.

"May I ask what kind of restaurant would you like to dine at?" He asked again. She was a commoner, so maybe she wouldn't be so comfortable in a more expensive atmosphere. In a way, these questions allowed him to find out more about her, without sounding sketchy. It allowed for a relaxed conversation, not just silent awkwardness.

"I haven't dined at a restaurant with Ootoro for a long time." She hinted, knowing that only the high classed restuarants prepared Ootoro. Kyouya understood her meaning behind her words. Haruhi chuckled inside – so his senses were a lot sharper than most people's.

"La Hibiscus, then." Kyouya announced, giving a nod to his bodyguard. "Only the best for the best."

Kyouya offered his hand as Haruhi nervously looked at him. Kyouya secretly hoped that she would take his hand. He liked the softness of her hands and her strawberry scented hair.

_Why not? _Haruhithought. _If she was already going to hell, she might as well go to it thoroughly._

"Ladies first," Kyouya said, holding the door for her and giving her the smile that would make most girls swoon. Haruhi looked indifferent, raising an eyebrow.

"Were you a host before?" Haruhi guessed, taking Kyouya entirely by surprise.

"Maybe." He winked as Haruhi chuckled.

" As expected. You wouldn't make a bad host, considering that you probably are one of the top bachelors in the country," Haruhi complimented, noticing that his hands were incredibly soft, but what could you expect from a rich boy? Having wealth meant having maids doing all the manual labor for them. Also, it meant using super expensive skin products to treat their skin. She mentally sighed with annoyance. Rich people never know how to help the world. Instead, they used money like it was nothing to them.

"You aren't a bad host yourself," Kyouya replied back.

"Years of practice," Haruhi laughed, remembering her older days at the Zuka Club at St. Lobelia Academy.

"Practice?"

"It's a long story."

"It's a long drive."

"I mainly learned my hosting skill last year," Haruhi said, her head dissolving in that memory.

"_HARUHI!" Renge yelled at her friend._

"_What caused the lovely Renge to fly all the way from Japan to the US?" Haruhi said, sarcastically. It was normal for Renge to pop in her life randomly. She didn't understand Renge, but she was her first friend in the prestigious St. Lobelia Academy._

"_I just started a business," she screamed excitedly. Haruhi winced at the soprano voice. "How about dinner tonight in upper New York?"_

_Haruhi snorted – what did she expect? A fast food meal at McDonald's? Then again, rich kids never ate junk food. They only had the highest quality foods. Looks like she would have to change her plan later, but that wouldn't be a big of a problem. Her roommate, Mei, would enjoy some alone time with her boyfriend anyways._

"_Are we flying there?" Haruhi asked sarcastically. Even at such young age, sarcasm contributed to a major part of her personality. It was the one characteristic in Haruhi that Renge found fascinating._

"_OF COURSE WE ARE! I made reservations there and we're due to check in, in about an hour." Renge yelled in joy, scaring away all the bystanders. Haruhi scoffed as people pointed – many probably thought that Renge was some kind of dangerous species bred from mutated genes. Renge was harmless. Obsessive, yes. Annoying, yes. Unbelievably loud, yes. A rich girl raised from the higher parts of Japan's society, yet they were friends because Haruhi earned herself a scholarship in St. Lobelia Academy. Renge was, of course, her first friend and the one who stayed by her side through her hardships – although she was rich, Haruhi always considered her more like a twin sister, despite the four year age difference. Even if she was loud and dangerous, Haruhi still loved her._

"_HARUHIIIII~" Renge sang, skipping through Harvard's campus. Haruhi's professor gave her a disapproving stare as Haruhi managed to quiet her friend down. She bowed in apology to anyone looking this way._

"_RENGE! You're disrupting classes!" She yelled quietly, shushing her friend. _

"_I'll sing the theme song for Sailor Moon if you don't hurry up~" Renge called. Haruhi shook her head with a scared look on her face before quickly running into the car. She didn't want her professors to see her and neither did she want to cause chaos. When Renge throws out a threat, she won't stop until you do what you want her to do – it was a terrifying experience for Haruhi. _

_Haruhi held on as her friend rushed to her personal airport – Renge's parents always treated Haruhi like her own child after her mother died when she was thirteen. Her father was in great debt. Hell, they even offered to adopt her, but Haruhi nicely declined. From her mother's stories, she greatly disliked the society of the rich. It was to proper. Too stressful. She was like a bird, soaring wherever she want. She hated being caged. Joining the society of the rich meant that she would have to break her wings Yet, even after she declined, she had sleepovers at Renge's house everyday, often helping Renge with homework as well as her guy problems. It was thanks to her that Renge managed to graduate on time._

"_How are your parents doing?" Haruhi asked._

"_They're doing fine, but they're hoping you'll come over sometimes soon. They miss you. They especially miss the fact that you keep me intact and away from bother them. Daddy says I either bother him too much or I keep in my room too much. Mom says that I should get out more and talk with more people." Renge said as Haruhi chuckled at the thought of Renge asking awkward questions to her father. The image made Haruhi burst out laughing._

"_I'll return next month. I have a month off for Christmas break, remember? Plus, after I come back, I have six more months of schooling before I earn my law degree. Then, I'll officially return to Japan again." Haruhi reminded. Renge jumped up and down in happiness before cutting off Haruhi's bronchitis tube with bear hug._

"_Want to tell me the reason why you flew all the way to America and drag me away from attending my classes?" Haruhi asked as her friend winked. She didn't like Renge's face at all. It was... mixed with so much happiness and excitement that Haruhi concluded that whatever plan Renge is making her do would make her regret for as long as she lives._

"_I was brainstorming and I created the perfect business. I already started it, but I can't find people that would fit into it – though I already asked YeonJae, remember? The beautiful Korean transfer who we were best friends with?"_

"_How could I forget? She was the most gorgeous girl in school – nearly made me envious."_

"_Anyways, it's a sorta like a date and dump business," Renge said as Haruhi spat out her tea, choking._

"_Are you inviting me to a prostitute club?! RENGEEEE!" Haruhi screamed, smaking her friend on the head. _

"_No! It's nothing like that. We pick our customers – it's for guys who are heart-broken because their girlfriends cheated on them and they have a taste for revenge. It's simple. We pick our customers. They pick the kind of girlfriend they want. And off you go to get revenge." Haruhi stared at her friend unbelievably. WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS THAT?!_

"_How... OLD are these men you're talking about?" Haruhi asked with disbelief. _

"_Ranging from 16 to 27. Remember, we pick our customers – they don't pick us. And we do background searches to make sure that we won't be cheated on our work," Renge explained. Her friend was crazy. Yup, Renge was officially out of her mind with all the romance drama in her life._

"_Did you parents actually agree?" Haruhi asked, still in shock. The words, 'what the fuck is wrong is my friend?' plastered over her face. Renge nodded. "They said that it was a unique business and that if I play my cards right, I could earn a fortune. It's only temporary and it's something I want to do in my free time."_

"_What's your ulterior motive?" _

"_Oh look. We're here," Renge smiled, ushering her friend out. Haruhi crossed her hands as her friend pushed her in the car and drove to the restaurant. The entire way, she did not stop glaring at Renge. Even when the unbelievably hot French waiter asked her what kind of food she wanted._

_'IS SHE CRAZY?! She's mental,' Haruhi repeated in her head over and over again. A date and dump business? Pretending to be someone's fake girlfriend? She definitely did NOT want to get raped._

"_Renge," she said dangerously. "You called me out because you wanted me to join the business, am I correct?"_

"_Sort of like that," Renge said, pushing a plate of Ootoro towards her friends. Haruhi's mouth watered as all signs of anger escaped her brain. She shook her head. She must not be hypnotized by a plate of Ootoro. Wasn't it like bribery? Except worse?_

"_It's delicious. Perfectly cooked – not too raw, but not overcooked either. It contains the perfect amount of fat for a plate of Ootoro and contains the perfect amount of oil. This is the best Ootoro in all of the US." Renge tempted as Haruhi's conscience took over. The smell filled her nostrils as she dug in, savaging every bite. Once again, her friend won – Haruhi was disappointed in herself for not resisting longer. _

"_What are the terms?" Haruhi asked, stuffing her mouth with another large serving of fatty tuna._

"_Similar to the Zuka Club. You have a month to complete a request. There's not much skinship besides kissing and possibly dancing with each other to make the other party jealous."_

"_What do I get out of this?"_

"_Consider it as a request from a friend. You'll earn enough to pay your tuition at Harvard University for an entire year. Also, I've given orders to the cook to bring you Ootoro whenever you would like."_

_Haruhi contemplated. It wasn't bad. Kissing and dancing. She kissed a guy before, though entirely by accident – she fell over and their lips happened to meet. Also, her pay was going to be high, considering that she'll be working with the upper class. It would allow her to spend more time to study than work her head off for her tuition at Harvard. It was the Ootoro that made her final decision. Personal access to Ootoro meaning she could have as much of the high classed food as she want and whenever she wanted. She would be in heaven. _

"_Please??" Renge begged, showing her ultra cute puppy face. Haruhi scoffed at her friend's childishness._

"_What will be my first mission?" Haruhi asked, winking. Renge screeched in delight._

"_I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOUUU!" Renge said, hugging her friend. She knew she could count on Haruhi. They were... spiritually twins so there was no way that Haruhi could've rejected._

"_Umehito Nekozawa is your first mission." Renge explained, flipping through a complete background check of him. Haruhi frowned and wondered where everything went. The windows were replace by an inflatable screen with a picture of a handsome blond half-French guy._

"_He's a student at Ouran High School, one of the most prejudice high schools in Japan, owned by the Souh family. He's currently seventeen years old, wealthy. His family owns a chain of toy shops around the globe. He is quite intelligent, in the B class of Ouran High School – ranked 9th in the school. His hobby is dark magic, though he is unable to show his love for it in front of his parents. His father is french and his mother is Japanese. Handsome fellow, eh?" Renge winked before continuing, "His girlfriend is Eclair Tonnere – her family owns a chain of famous department stores. She is also half-French, half-Japanese and is currently the same age as Umehito. She cheated on him with Ritsu Kasanoda. The bitch started dating Kasanoda six months ago behind his back. He found out accidentally, when walking in his own hotel room where the bitch was having sex with her second boyfriend."_

"_So much drama," Haruhi muttered, shaking her head and frowning at the image of the girl. She saw her before, but she was unable to pinpoint the exact moment. Her twisted smile reminded her of a person she didn't want to remember – she'll have to do a little research in her free time about this Eclair. All in favor, she felt pity towards Umehito and was willing to help him get back. "When do I start?" _

"_The moment you get back. When I fly back, I'll tell him that you're willing to play his girlfriend for a month," Renge replied._

"Mr. Ootori. We've arrived." The driver announced, interrupting Haruhi's story. Both were so into her story that they failed to realize their surroundings. Kyouya found her story fascinating and was dying inside for her to continue it. Kyouya nodded and offered an arm to her. Haruhi shook her head, gesturing towards the reporters at the door. Kyouya was a bit disappointed, but he still kept his calm posture and smile.

"You'll get use to it." He whispered in her ear, smiling at the camera. Haruhi sent a sweet smile towards one of the reporters before walking in. The paparazzi followed, taking pictures of both of them as the Ootori bodyguards kept a safe distance between the media.

"That was scary. The mob of reporters weren't there when I came yesterday." She muttered to herself, frowning.

"Yesterday?" Kyouya asked as Haruhi froze. An unconscious slip of tongue and everything could've been revealed. She smiled nervously, "I was meeting with one of the company directors." She lied as Kyouya nodded.

"Table for two please." Kyouya said as the waiter led them to a quiet table in the corner. "How about finishing that story?"

"It's not very interesting," Haruhi replied, giving a small nod to the waitress who handed her a cup of Japan's finest tea. The tea was probably worth more than a week of her salary, she grumpily thought. Rich bastards. She didn't pay much attention to him, just secretly glad that Kyouya dropped the subject of her appearance in La Hibiscus last night.

"I've very interesting to know the outcome," Kyouya replied. "Ms. Houshakuji, Mr. Nekozawa, and Ms. Tonnerre are all very close business partners. Yet I failed to realize that you were Ms. Houshakuji's best friend."

"I should've known that," Haruhi replied sarcastically, before a loud scream and wave entered the room.

"KYOUYAAAAA~," a voice sang from half the room away. _Bloody hell_, Haruhi thought. _What in the world are the others doing here? _Then again, this was the place where the rich and wealthy dined so it wasn't a surprise that they would meet the other of the Elite Seven.

Haruhi could've recognized the voice from a million miles away – of course, she had secrets. Tamaki Suoh. She met him while on the mission with Umehito Nekozawa and once while having dinner at Renge's house, but she was disguised both times, so there was no way that idiot could've recognized her. The blonde idiot annoyed her till no end, especially with his honey like words. Renge and Tamaki would definitely be a good couple, but then again, their babies would all be loud and dramatic. She mentally shuddered at the thought.

"Who's this beautiful lady?" Tamaki sang, handing a rose to her. Haruhi's eyebrow twitched.

"Haruhi Oguri. Nice to meet you, Mr. Suoh," she replied, putting on her friendliest host smile. It was the same sort of cheesy line every time. You'd expect a guy to mature after two years, but she was wrong – once a romanticist, always a romanticist. It was inevitable, yet why did she expect it?

"What are you guys doing here?" Hikaru asked in an irritated tone. Haruhi assumed that this was the Hikaru Hitachiin – the more violent of the two twins. He had a malicious attitude, though extremely good looking. Haruhi looked into his eyes as he was taken in by surprise. He looked shocked for a moment, before his eyes returned to their original emotion of annoyance.

"MOTHER FORGOT THAT WE WERE MEETING HERE! Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital? Mori, call an ambulance!" Tamaki exaggerated, nearly fainting. Kyouya's hand twitched, ready to strangle his friend. It was embarrassing, considering that everyone else in the restaurant were pointing and staring at them.

"That's ridiculous. He's perfectly fine." Haruhi snapped, turning their backs towards them. _I remembered and I even contacted my secretary to notice you guys of my absence, but looks like someone didn't get the message. _Kyouya thought irritably. Just his luck.

"Now that we're all here, why not we all eat lunch together. Ne, Haru-chan?" Honey asked, tugging at Haruhi's shirt. Haruhi looked down. Mitsukuni Haninozuka, also known as Honey. He was much cuter than she expected, though it was hard to imagine him as twenty years old. But, you can't judge a book by it's cover. From the research she's done, he had extreme strength and would be the next to take over the Haninozuka generation.

"Why not?" Haruhi asked, smiling. She always had a weakness for little kids. Although Honey was older than her, she was taken in by his baby-like looks. It almost reminded her of Renge's little brother who died at young age from a heart attack. Her smile decreased a bit when she thought of Renge's little brother.

"It that okay, Kyouya-kun?" Haruhi asked. He stared, getting a full flash of Haruhi's large brown eyes. He nodded, not showing any emotions of disappointment, though Kyouya raged inside, although unable to figure out the reason why. He wasn't irritated. He was furious. Furious at himself for choosing this restaurant without thinking and forgetting the fact that the other Elite Seven was going to be here as well. He was furious at himself for his raging curiosity towards Haruhi.

"Wonderful!" Tamaki sang, hugging Haruhi while walking towards a larger table. This was Tamaki, number one idiot on her list. She somehow wondered how in the world did he manage to rank second in the school?

"Now, daughter, what would you like to eat?" Tamaki asked, distracting Haruhi from her thoughts.

"Daughter?" Either, this guy was crazy or he had a family fetish, but for some reason, she enjoyed the attention.

"YES. I've read an interview about you in Times magazine. It said that you lost your mother at young age, therefore I'll be your father starting today. What kind of hardships did you have to go through?" Tamaki asked, giving her a sympathetic look before nuzzling her hair again.

"Not much. I lived with Renge most of the time. Her parents treated me like I was their own kid." Haruhi smiled at the memory. She preferred a commoner life. It was the path her mother chose and it will be the path that she chooses.

"You mean that crazy hyperactive obsessive about yaoi girl?" Hikaru said in disbelief. Haruhi glowered at him, already disliking her personality.

"She's my best friend and probably my twin," she gritted her teeth.

"That's interesting because she called me and Kaoru, incest," he said. _If you sleep with your own twin brother, wouldn't that be MAJOR incest?! How could they see nothing wrong with it?! _She screamed in her mind. Kyouya, noticing a change in atmosphere, cut in on another topic.

"So I heard Mrs. Fujioka is your neighbor," he replied, holding back a grin as Haruhi sent him a scowl. "How is it?"

"Horrible. I'm deciding whether I should just buy another apartment and move out of this one," she complained, shuddering as she remembered the morning. She lost nearly 6 hours of valuable sleep time because that woman wouldn't stop singing in her unbelievably high voice. She cringed at the thought of it continuing everyday. Maybe it was time to install soundproof rooms and buy some earplugs.

"Really?" Kaoru asked, tilting his head. "Is she really THAT bad?"

"Oh, of course I don't mind the cat screeching first thing in the morning at three in the morning," she said sarcastically. Everyone laughed.

"C-c-c-cats?" Tamaki shuddered in fear.

"Do you have a fear of cats?" Haruhi asked, laughing.

"Y-y-y-yes Umehito Nekozawa cursed me with his "Bereznoff" doll. I've never been able to look at a cat the same way again, because every time I look at them, they always come to curse me!" He shuddered in fear. Haruhi stopped. _Nekozawa..._ she thought. Sadness crossed her eyes once more, before it was replaced by hatred.

"Who is he?" She asked, knowing fairly well who he is. She gave them a fake smile. Kyouya noticed a change in her tone.

"This black magic magician at our school. All he does is wear a black cape and curse people using his cat doll," Hikaru explained. _Do__esn't she know him? _Kyouya wondered as Haruhi gently kicked his feet.

"HARUHI, DARLING. DADDY WILL PROTECT YOU FROM HIM," Tamaki jumped, hugging her.

"Could you get off? I can't breath," she said as he went to grow a batch of mushrooms in the corner of the room. The twins started bursting out laughing.

"M'lord is hurt by your blunt words," Kaoru told her as she looked at the guy with disbelief. He was TWENTY and he is HURT by a 'I can't breathe' comment?! WHAT IS THIS WORLD?!

"My darling Haruhi~, I shall invite you to the Elite Seven annual ball this Saturday. You must go! The theme of this dance is a masquerade ball," Tamaki said, returning to his original arrogance after Haruhi apologized. He held out a golden invitation.

"Ball?" She asked, looking at Kyouya.

"It's basically a ball we hold every month for all the upper class women from ages fifteen to twenty-five. All of us have to host it, because the point of these balls if for us to find a suitable woman that we want to marry to become our wife," Kyouya explained as she nodded, frowning. _Oh, so now I'm a potential candidate of your marriage?_ She thought sarcastically.

"Wait, you said... Elite Seven. Where's the seventh person?" She asked, knowing that she was the last member of their noble society. She was manipulating, controlling the situation right where she wanted it to be. She didn't want her identity to be found, so it was safer to play dumb.

"That's what we don't know," Kyouya said. "I've been trying to track her down, but all of her information say that she died several years ago.

"Yeah! If one of us can marry her, then that would mean that we'd have the entire Fujioka fortune in our hands," Hikaru said bluntly, "But I don't think that's possible, considering that she's dead. That old Fujioka is probably just playing a joke. Or maybe she wants to adopt an extremely ugly fat girl to torture us."

Haruhi smirked inside.

_It's not a joke, darling. The last member of the Fujioka is sitting right in front of you, but you'll never find me – I'll always be in the shadows._

* * *

Now, let your mouse travel to the review button. ;)... Comments? Hate it? Love it and can't wait for the next chapter? Dislike it so much that you want to burn your computer every time you see it?

I know I haven't updated in a month, but I'll try and update sooner, ne? I know, I'm only a sophomore in high school and I'm already overwhelmed with the amount of homework I get.

Kamsahamida!


	4. Chapter 4: The Arrival Of A Princess

Chapter Four: The Arrival of A Princess

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

* * *

"Why are you doing this to me?" Haruhi asked, pouting and trying to cover herself with Renge's absurdly bright neon yellow coat. After flashing the invitation to Renge, her friend insisted on playing barbie doll. 'A once in a lifetime chance' Renge called it. Haruhi considered it as absolute torture – after spending hours in the bathroom with Renge, she concluded that maybe she should keep these parties a secret – it was almost as bad as the prom. Although Haruhi kept complaining about how it was absolute torture, Renge replied with, 'most woman would DIE to be dressed by the famous Renge Houshakuji'.

Haruhi never felt so nude in her life. After being dragged out of her toasty bed at seven in the morning, she was forced into a dress that revealed more than she had. It clung to every part of her skin, revealing her non-existence curves. The bra inside pushed up her breasts so it would make her look like she had a pair of breasts that most women were envious for. Also, the dress itself was probably worth more than her yearly salary. How were women in the medieval times able to live in these things?!

"Too much skin," She grumbled, glaring at the mirror, hoping that it would shatter any second. Sadly, she was not a magician, nor did looks kill.

"Do you know how many people would die for this dress?! I personally bought it from Ms. Hitachiin after her fashion show in Milan, Italy!" Renge exclaimed, wanting to scold her friend. Haruhi grumbled some more, obvious distaste was expressed in her face. Her patience was staring to wane. Although most girls would enjoy being dressed up, Haruhi was a different story. Renge was always seizing a chance to turn her friend into a real lady, and this invitation offered her the chance.

"I look fake," Haruhi complained again as Renge applied mascara on her lashes one last time. Haruhi, obviously uncomfortable, tugged on the sides of her dress. It flowed down to the floor and was so long that Haruhi was afraid she would trip and fall. On top of that, she was suppose to wear four inch HEELS! She whined like a little child not wanting to go to the doctors to receive a shot.

"No one, dressed by THE Renge Houshakuji, would look fake. You look gorgeous, silly." Haruhi touched her face, regretting the minute she told Renge that she was invited to the Elite Seven's Masquerade ball. Her face felt like it would drop anytime – the amount of makeup on her face would make makeup salons feel proud. She nearly shuddered when at how much powder Renge used – actually, no. She did not want to know. Haruhi's hair itched as her hands started to reach for her hair, only to be violently slapped off by Renge. She gritted her teeth as she saw the red mark on her hand.

"Don't touch your hair. I spent hours trying to get the tiara on your head. You're not wasting my efforts! Plus, if we redid it now, you'd be late for the party." Renge scolded.

_I DON'T want to go_, Haruhi thought. The tiara on her hair shined beautifully, yet it weighed a hundred pounds on her head – Haruhi felt a wave a guilt when she thought about the starving children in Africa. The amount of children they could save by selling this tiara. Apparently, it was one of Renge's favorite pieces of jewelry, given to her by the princess of England as a gift for her father's help. In the middle of the tiara was a ten carat blue diamond probably worth a few million dollars, surrounded by a sea of diamond teardrops. It glittered brightly under the light like sparkles and would make any girl feel like a princess, yet Haruhi glowered at the sight of it on her head. A definite waste of money, but it was a gift, so she couldn't complain. The tiara itself reminded her of the Hope diamond which she saw at the Smithsonian Institute several years ago.

"Why aren't YOU wearing a tiara?" Haruhi asked with an accusing glare.

"The tiara suits you better than it does with me. Maybe it's because the tiara is for those with jet black hair and pale skin. Every time I wore it, I felt looked like a princess, but it just didn't look right. My skin color and my brown hair clashes with it. Besides, why complain? The tiara looks like it was made personally for you. Plus, it's your first time to a high-classed party and THE Tamaki Suoh gave you an invitation himself, so you can't reject – I want you to look special. Besides, I'm not going." Renge ranted with obvious irritation in her voice.

"Why are you in a dress then?" Haruhi asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I have to attend a party for the release of my next drama," Renge said innocently, gluing Haruhi's mask on. That was a lie, of course. How could she ever miss one of the Elite Seven dances? But, it was time for her friend to stop clinging onto her and find her own romance. She smiled inside, unable to wait for the outcomes of tonight.

"What's the point of dressing up a commoner, when she'll still look like a commoner?" Renge pointed to the mirror and even Haruhi looked stunned, but she was secretly glad that she was unrecognizable. "I hate you for not coming with me, Renge."

"I know you love me too and you know you'll thank me in the future," Renge teased, shooing her friend out. "The limo's ready. You'll be slightly late, but it's good to be fashionably late."

"Why don't you come with me?" Haruhi whined one last time, putting on her puppy pout. Renge looked away, knowing that she would be unable to resist.

"It's a really important meeting, and it'll cost billions if I'm not there," Haruhi sighed before hugging her friend one last time.

"You owe me a few hundred servings of Ootoro for this measly trick you're trying to pull."

"Darling, you can't cling onto me forever. You'll be fine. Be yourself," Renge kissed her friend's cheek, before waving good-bye. "You look beautiful! Remember to boss a few guys around!"

"Will Haruhi come?" Tamaki asked, drifting off in another world with a stupid smile painted on his face. They had only met yesterday, but Tamaki felt a gravitational attraction between the two of them. Like how the earth always orbits the sun. Although she was a conservative and smart lady that did not fit her image, he knew that she was probably the one girl that could keep him under control.

Kyouya looked over, surprised to see her name -- he himself, has taken an interest in Ms. Oguri Haruhi. It wasn't every day he meets a girl that could match up in IQ. A girl that isn't a part of his mob of idiotic fangirls.

"She will," Hikaru said, holding the phone. "We just called Renge."

* * *

"Miss Oguri," Ying announced shocked to see that the girl had her law files scattered all over the seat and was reading her next case thoroughly. He slightly wondered where the files came from – did they miraculously appear with a snap of her finger? He was almost 100% sure that the only thing she brought was a tiny purse, only enough to fit basic makeup and her credit card. A small grin appeared on his face: This was Haruhi -- she always took the chance to look deeper into a job. She was an entirely different species from the world of girls. If he didn't know any better, he would've labeled the girl as an alien from another planet who didn't know any better but to be a workaholic. It was true... in a way, but she should cut herself some slack, let loose, and have some fun. Maybe Ms. Renge was right, this girl needed a social life.

Ying Yamanaka, a half-Chinese and half-Japanese twenty eight year old man who considered himself to be talentless. He was an orphan raised from a poor family and was deprived of all education – he went to a free elementary and middle school, before being forced to drop out of high school because his family couldn't afford the tuition. In Haruhi's sophomore year in High School, he was hired by the Houshakuji family to take the job of their personal chauffeur. After his first week of work, he developed an unspoken feeling towards Haruhi. Although they were ten years apart in age, he was always labeled half a decade younger for his handsome boy looks. Many recommended him to join the entertainment company, but he refused to enter the world of lies and scandals. He hated the entertainment more than he hated Renge's high pitched fangirl squeals. Although the celebrity world was envied and hoped for, he knew that it was all about betrayal, rumors, and connections – sex was the key connection. He remembered his teenaged year when he found out that his girlfriend, who was a decent celebrity in the industry, slept with her director to receive the lead role. But why did he hold so much distaste towards it? His real father [that abandoned him the day he was born] was one of the world's most famous musicians. After cheating on his mother for another beautiful woman, his mother commit suicide and he was put in an orphanage where they never met again. The hatred still burned at his chest and he vowed for revenge.

"I'm BUSY." She excused, pretending to think deeply – a wave of fear crossed her face as sweat poured down her back. He smirked, one could always play at this game. He stared right at her, causing Haruhi's body to automatically tense. It offered a chance for him to appreciate her look even further. Her rosy cheeks. Her pale skin. She glowed with beauty in the dark, resembling a goddess more than ever.

Haruhi's self-conscience level rose as a crimson red color appeared on her cheek. Ying grinned, enjoying his temporary moment of torture. He gazed straight at her: Haruhi hardly dressed up, but when she did, she looked as enticing as the night. She sent a mysterious vibe that attracted many hearts – he was undeniably in love with her as a man would towards a woman. However, he never realized the sexual desire he held for her until tonight – then again, many men would probably realize their raging hormones when they saw her mouth-watering figure. A part of him wanted to lock her away and keep her all to himself.

"That's a lovely color on your cheeks," Ying teased as Haruhi twitched even further. Her ears turned into a darker red as she pretended to check her cellphone. How embarrassing!

Haruhi enjoyed Ying's company. Although they were nearly a decade apart in age, they were still very close. As their chauffeur, the Hoshakujis allowed him to live in their house and treated him of their own family – they offered to send him to college where he was working towards the goal of receiving his medical degree. Though the goal was far away, he still worked hard during the nights, often receiving help from Haruhi. Ying envied the girl for her undeniable brilliancy. For, Haruhi, who knew nothing medical-wise was able to explain everything thoroughly to him just by reading his assignment once.

How they met was an entire accident – Haruhi was worried about her final exam in Chemistry the next day and woke up to get a cup of hot chocolate to accompany her freezing room. Coincidentally, Ying was hungry from all the late night studying and walked into the kitchen to prepare a late night snack. Since it was the middle of the night and there were no obvious flash of light, they crashed head-to-head. At first, Haruhi mistaken him for Renge's brother, but after a exchange of words realized that he was their new chauffeur.

They relationship started off with a friendly conversation until a crash of thunder was heard and Haruhi ran into Ying's arms, refusing to leave until the thunder ceased.

_"So you're afraid of thunder?" Ying laughed as Haruhi awkwardly untangled herself from him. She blushed harder than ever._

_"__Brontophobia. And yes," Haruhi said, in a snobbish tone, trying to conceal her embarrassment. It wasn't her fault – she hated the way she behaved when it was thundering. _And why in the world did this have to occur during our first meeting?! He must think that I'm a psycho, or worse... a seductress. Stupid phobia! _Ying laughed loudly, teasing her even more, until she stomped off. _

"_I'll always be here if you need anything!" He called out after her after she slammed her bedroom door very loudly.  
_  
And from that day on, whenever Haruhi had any trouble -- she would always end up in Ying's room, asking for advice. Even Renge's parents knew very well where Haruhi went when she was irritated. They formed a bond that was unexplainable. One that Renge was, at times, jealous of. He took the place of an older brother Haruhi never had in her heart.

Back to the current conspiracy...

"I think I forgot something quite important. Could you bring me back home?" She asked, tightening the seat belt. Maybe he won't bother to pull her out of the car and he'll accidentally bring her home, but those hopes died down when he announced that he was not budging until she entered the ball room.

Aghast, she grabbed Renge's pricey Gucci bag, giving Ying an I'm-going-to-murder-you-when-this-all-ends glare. The moment her heels reached the red carpet, a frightening amount of flashes , enough to blind any vampire who could tolerate the sun, made their way towards her. She hated how the paparazzi perched at the entrance like hungry wolves waiting for food – the moment she entered their premises, she was immediately bombarded by questions of her identity. She quickly covered her face and ran in, flinging her invitation card at the entrance and ignoring the lady who kindly opened the doors for her. The blood pounded through her head as she suddenly realized that she was in the middle of the ballroom, alone. Gripping her bag tighter, she searched around for someone she knew – hoping that she wouldn't look like a sore thumb out of place.

Kyouya stood at the entrance, greeting all the guests. It was the same process, over and over again. How many years was it since his parents decided to hold these balls? Five years? Possibly. He glanced at the clock before searching through the crowd. He did not want to deny the fact that he was searching for Haruhi in the midst of all the girls.

"Kyouya-sempai!" An annoying loud and distinguished voice said, slithering her arm around his waist. Kyouya mentally frowned as a wave of disgust crossed his face. Her overly diluted perfume filled his nostrils making him sick to the stomach, but his host club skills saved him as he gently smiled and kissed her on the cheek. If it wasn't for her family connections to the Ootori family, he would've vomited on the spot on her brightly neon orange dress. Did he mention that she looked like an orange?

"Ms, Kasugazaki," The seductiveness in his voice was sickening, but it was a must for him to use his host club skills unless she preferred him to gag in her face. The last thing he would want was to have his father lecture him about being nice to girls.

"Call me Kanako," she squealed, hugging his arm even tighter. "Daddy said that if everything works out well tonight, he's going to propose our marriage to your father! We can spend eternity together"

_God no. _He recited in his head. His distaste for her grew in the past thirty seconds. Kanako Kasugazaki was a former classmate of his. Her IQs were in the lower two digits and all she wasted all her excess time dreaming about drool worthy celebrities and using up all her funds in buying the latest fashions. She was unbelievably annoying and clingy, unable to give Kyouya any space, but it wasn't until the incident that happened in her senior year of Ouran. After making Hikaru fall in love with her and accepting his confession, she used his family connections to her favor before publicly humiliating him. All this time, she was dating another rich Casanova behind his back. Her personality was shallow and seeing her face caused the bile to rise up in his throat.

"As much as I would love to accompany you, I need to help around," he excused himself before she puckered up, expecting him to kiss her. Her image baffled Kyouya as he scanned the room for help until someone threw her invitation card and ran in. The invitation card hit Kanako square in the middle of her forehead as she screamed, claiming that the person blinded her. Using this distraction, he escaped from her grasp.

"Having fun, Kyouya?" Hikaru mocked, glaring at Kyouya with hatred.

"Disgusting parasite," Kyouya spat out coldly, hoping that he was well-hidden within the depths of the people. Hikaru snickered imitating his expression – unable to conceal his jealousy any further. After being cheated and humiliated, Hikaru still kept his grudge towards the men that Kanako chose as their next targets.

"Who is that?" Kyouya sucked in his breathe and stared at the girl who was looking around in the middle of the dance floor.

"Mother will be happy," Kyouya heard Kaoru mumble to his brother. "That dress is a Hitachiin original, isn't it? I remember her making this dress the last time I entered her office."

"I'll ask mother whether she remembers who bought this dress," Hikaru said, still awestruck.

"Hikaru, are you drooling?!"

Kyouya blocked out all conversations and focused on the girl. She was absolutely gorgeous. Intriguing. She was beautiful – probably the most beautiful girl Kyouya has ever seen. That was a deep compliment considering pretty girls surrounded the shadow king nearly everyday. Her hair was intricately bundled into a corona with a tiara as the finishing touch, revealing her milky white neck. Her midnight violet dress clung onto her curves, allowing a majority of the women population in the room envious of the curves they could never shape. Her dress was one of the finest works of art the Hitachiin family had ever made. The front was a halter top with the bottom of the dress clinging onto her waist. And from her neck dangled a single diamond necklace in the shape of a teardrop. Her makeup was done subtly with just a hint of color on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with the brilliance of a sapphire and the shimmering color of pink reflected her innocent. Her entire appearance was a reminiscent of a porcelain doll or a British princess of noble birth.

Kyouya's eyes trailed down her nude back as he felt himself receive a hard blow. His hormones raged and he felt himself gripping tightly onto the side of the wall as to not lose control. The last thing he would want was to have his face on the front page of the Japan Times. But never in his life did he desire a woman as much as he desired this lady. After a thorough analysis, he concluded that she must be a rich princess from another country. Decadent and tempting, the dark color was a beautiful contrast to her fair skin. In that one instant, he felt his perfectly solemn and cold world shatter into pieces. His calm appearance was replaced with the hormones of a wolf. The shocking truth rang in his ears.

'Exhilarating,' he thought, making his way towards the girl.

Haruhi stood near the table chewing on some noteworthy Ootori. Although not as good at the one Renge bribed her with, the rich taste melted on her tongue as she was brought to temporary heaven. She smiled a bit, ignoring all the stares (and the glares) she received. Mentally, she cursed Renge for making her the green apple in a field of red apples. She was extremely glad that no one was able to recognize her. She communicated with a few people here and there, but they weren't rather interesting. Most considered her as a princess locked up in a castle – she never paid attention to the latest gossip or anything the modern society talked about. She was feeling rather bored at the moment until someone gently tapped her on her shoulder.

"May I ask for a dance?" A seductive voice asked. Haruhi turned back and immediately presented with a pair of night black eyes. She sucked in her breathe, glad that the mask covered nearly her entire face. A blush was forming under her cheek as he led her to the dance floor.

"Would it be appropriate to ask for a name?" Even the Kyouya Ootori could be charming at times, but that wasn't going to fool Haruhi.

"That's a secret," Haruhi whispered in his ear, sending chills down his back. She hoped that the flirty tactic she learned from Renge were useful. If she acted too solemn, then she would definitely be on Kyouya Ootori's list of suspects. The last thing she would want was for the youngest Ootori to guess her identity – she considered the trouble she would receive, especially since the paparazzi were following both of them like hawks.

"What about general questions?"

"Depends."

"Who are your parents?"

"I cannot disclose such information."

"Are you of noble birth?" Kyouya allowed his curiosity to take over him.

"I am not."

"Are you from the higher parts of Japanese society?"

"I might be." Kyouya rummaged his brain for a possible list of girls. Those large brown eyes seem oddly familiar, yet he was unable to pinpoint who she was. His thoughts were interrupted when Haruhi decided to speak up.

"What do you like doing in your free time?"

"Work," he replied when Haruhi burst out giggling.

"There's only one person I know who would say that. You're the youngest Ootori, aren't you?" Haruhi smirked as Kyouya twirled her, getting a full wisp of her strawberry-scented hair. He secretly tried to inhale as much as he could.

"Now that my identity is revealed, what about yours?" He asked, gripping her tighter to him. If the girl knew who he was, then they must be, at least, acquainted in some sorts.

"That is for you to find out, not for me to reveal. I'll give you a hint – I love pineapple. I love staring above at the azure sky and sitting on a grassy hill top. My favorite book is Gone With The Wind, the English version, may I add. I prefer staying home with a good book rather than going to parties. I could be considered as an average girl." Haruhi picked her clues carefully, ensuring that they were the most discreet clues anyone could ever give.

"You can speak English?" Kyouya asked, his curiosity piping further.

"It was my favorite subject in high school." She replied, ignoring that the first dance came to an end. They waltzed into the next song. "It is much easier for me to communicate in English than in Japanese, considering that I went to college in the US."

"We can converse in English then. May I ask what college?"

"That would be a dead give-away." Haruhi laughed, adding some slang to her speech. She was slightly surprised when Kyouya put on a slight pout. His face was so serious all the time, it was as though his face was carved into rock.

"What are you doing here in Japan?"

"That's another secret."

"I think you're being quite unfair to me."

"I gave you quite a lot of hints."

"What part of Japan do you live in?"

"Are you trying to stalk me?"

"I'm flattered that you think so greatly of me. The great Kyouya Ootori is actually a stalker in disguise – I think that would be a beautiful headliner for tomorrow's paper." Haruhi grinned, catching Kyouya's obvious sarcasm.

"I move around a lot."

"What are you doing here at this party then?"

"I was... invited."

"By whom?"

"My fairy godmother." Haruhi leaned closer to Kyouya, hoping to hide her face from the obvious flashes. Somehow, the flashes were able to locate where they were dancing again, but the couple turned a blind eye against them. Kyouya kept quiet, enjoying her close embrace. They waltzed around the ballroom in perfect harmony – as though they were made for each other. It wasn't long before the second dance came to an end. Kyouya, not wanting to leave her, held onto her waist until she bowed.

"The dance just ended and I must leave. When the clock strikes midnight, my beauty will cease," she whispered – he stared at her luscious lips.

"May I have your family name, at least? I would like to meet you again." He asked desperately. Haruhi definitely knew that Kyouya Ootori did not beg.

"Fujioka. I am the hidden granddaughter of the Fujiokas and the seventh member of the Elite Seven," Haruhi reached up and landed her lips on his before running away as fast as she could into the premises of the garden.

It took several minutes for Kyouya's brain to restart again. Fujioka? The girl who he desired for. The girl who he danced with. The girl who he shared his first kiss with was the granddaughter of the Fujiokas? He contemplated several things – what if she was fake? That was highly unlikely, considering that the only people who knew about her was the Elite Seven and her own family. He was in shock. Astounded. Unable to breathe. It was only then when he realized that he had feelings too. He wasn't the block of ice he imagined himself to be. Before, he defied all odds to be the missing piece in someone else's soul, but everything between them clicked so perfectly. They synchronized so well that it was as though she was born for him.

Her words repeated through his head again. The taste of her lips still resided on his. Her presence. Her embrace. How her long elegant fingers fit perfectly with his. The smooth and softness of her skin. The way she laughed. Everything hit Kyouya back again.

Why didn't he run after her? Why did he let his princess escape?

"Are you okay?" Tamaki asked, after Kyouya pulled off his mask.

_How could I be okay? I met the real granddaughter of the Fujiokas. And I fell in love with her, _were the only thoughts in Kyouya's mind.

"I need some air," he replied, disappearing again. The fresh breathe of oxygen entered his lungs as he felt his body automatically relax. He tried to digest everything that happened – assuring himself that it wasn't a dream. This was real, this was reality.

* * *

Haruhi ran until she was out of breath into the middle of a rose garden. She was glad that she was alone. She would need a moment to restart her heart. Her face flushed with redness. Her chest felt as though it was going to burst open any second.

"Oh god. What did I do?" She murmured, her ears still ringing. She revealed her true position in Japanese society! It was a slip of a tongue and she was desperate to leave that moment. What shocked her more was the kiss. Since when was she ever so bold? Maybe they put some secret substance into her drink that caused her to become woozy. That must be it. Or maybe she was just socially-challenged and did not know how to interact with society, especially with men.

"I should really get out more," she scolded. "Maybe I should've just went out with Renge. I need a healthy dose of society."

She inhaled some more air and stared out at the full-moon. An eerie sound was heard in the sky as she felt a presence behind her. She turned only to nearly fall over at the figure behind her. All of the thoughts in her head emptied – her eyes only focused on the figure. She never expected to ever meet him again.

"Umehito," Haruhi breathed out, clenching on her dress tighter than ever. Her head felt dizzy as a rush of fear pondered through her heart. This was definitely a bad nightmare. Umehito was the last person she would ever want to see. She felt the feeling of a broken heart rush back into her.

"What a nice surprise, Haruhi. You've concealed your identity well, but if you've forgotten, I can spot you anywhere." He smirked, walking towards her. She took several steps back until she hit the dead end. She thought about screaming for help, but in a garden this large, would anyone hear her cries?

"You'll never hide from me." He suddenly grabbed her waist. "You've sure turned into one sexy girl, my dear Haruhi. And I can't wait to get my hands on you."

"Get the hell away from me," Haruhi screamed, looking for any ways of escape. All the flashbacks poured into her mind. Her heart, now fixed to its original state, felt like it was going to shatter again. She held back bitter tears as he got closer and closer. Suddenly, he crushed his lips onto hers. The familiar taste of vodkha on her lips returned. Her legs turned into jelly as she felt the naïve Haruhi return again – it was the one part in her memory that she threw away. It was the one mistake she made in life.

"I taste rejection in your lips, but don't you worry my little Haruhi. You'll return by my side, sooner or later."

"You broke my heart once. I won't fall for you all over again," she gritted, tasting the saltiness of the tears trickling down her cheek.

"You belong to me," He whispered, walking away. Haruhi fell down to her knees, her stomach still shaking.

_I loved you, Umehito, but since our parting, I've changed. I'm no longer the naive little girl who was madly in love with you. You broke my heart, sugar-coated words won't fix it. _

* * *

MERRY [LATE] CHRISTMAS! I was originally going to post this up a bit sooner, but my mom didn't return my laptop until today.

Thank you ALL FOR YOUR WONDERFUL COMMENTS! 13 favorites, 37 alerts, and more than 1,200 views! WHOOT! We've come a long way. (;

Anyways, several things to mention –

I wrote another story, so be sure to check it out! ^^. I promise it isn't as OOC as it sounds – .net/s/5546106/1/Eternity_Under_the_Moonlight

Also, I'll try and update around New Years: hopefully. My goal is to update as a New Years gift (BOTH STORIES) and yeah.

FINALLY, is my story turning OOC? T.T..... I'll fix it! I promise! (Somehow...)

Hmm, I think that's it for now. I'm on winter vacation right now, but I'm still stuck in piles of homework. D:

REVIEWWW! ← that would make me REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY happy (especially since this chapter was extra long. -cough- -cough-.)

See my analysis? No reviews = DX . Reviews = XD

Okay, I think I ranted enough. BYEEEEE! AND HAVE A REALLY AWESOME WINTER VACATION!


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